Journal of Ultrasound in Medicine, Vol 16, Issue 5 335-339, Copyright © 1997 by American Institute of Ultrasound in Medicine
Quantitative estimation of ultrasonographic attenuation in the myocardium using conventional echocardiographic instrumentation
A. Kumar, J. P. Jones and P. A. Chandraratna
Department of Medicine, Los Angeles County/University of Southern California Medical Center, USA.
Through the careful and judicious use of the time gain controls in
conventional echocardiographic instrumentation, we have found that it is
possible to obtain quantitative estimates of the attenuation of ultrasound
beams even in vivo. These estimates are based on the quantitative
comparison of the amplitude of the echo waveforms at different depths.
Here, we report on such attenuation measurements using both a tissue
phantom and the interventricular septum of the myocardium in vivo. The in
vitro estimates of attenuation with this method are in agreement with
independent laboratory measurements of the same parameter. In vivo
measurements on the myocardium indicate oscillations in the magnitude of
the attenuation over the heart cycle and suggest methods for the
quantitative assessment of a variety of pathologic conditions in the
myocardium noninvasively using conventional ultrasound scanners.
